Use of corticosteroid is not associated with improved outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients admitted to the hospital with acute exacerbation (AE), reveals a recent study. In addition, corticosteroids may even contribute to reduced overall survival following exacerbation.

Acne is a common skin problem seen in primary care. Dr Wong
Soon Tee of Assurance Skin Clinic at Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore
shares his insights with Pearl Toh on how to manage acne in the primary care
setting.

Vitamin D deficiency tied to hypertension

17 May 2020

Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D appear to be a risk factor for hypertension, a recent study has shown.

The study included 400 hypertensive patients and 400 age- and sex-matched normotensive participants. Chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays were used to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and liver function biomarkers, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), were also measured.

Vitamin D deficiency was significantly more common among hypertensive participants than their comparators (p<0.0001). The same was true for low mean serum calcium (p<0.0001), phosphorous (p<0.0001), and abnormal levels of AST (p=0.0056) and ALT (p=0.0015). Parathyroid hormone concentrations were also significantly raised in hypertensive patients (p<0.0001).

Moreover, researchers found that patients who had had hypertension for a long time (p=0.02) and had elevated systolic blood pressure (p<0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.0001) were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency.

Use of corticosteroid is not associated with improved outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients admitted to the hospital with acute exacerbation (AE), reveals a recent study. In addition, corticosteroids may even contribute to reduced overall survival following exacerbation.

Acne is a common skin problem seen in primary care. Dr Wong
Soon Tee of Assurance Skin Clinic at Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore
shares his insights with Pearl Toh on how to manage acne in the primary care
setting.